In the days after the Times published its report, former White House staff secretary Rob Porter reportedly told McGahn that Trump wanted him to release a statement denying that Trump wanted Mueller to be fired and that McGahn threatened to resign over the order.

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According to the Times, Porter told McGahn that Trump had suggested he might “get rid of” McGahn if he didn’t issue the statement.

Trump later confronted McGahn in the Oval Office after he didn’t release a statement denying the Times report. During the meeting, which chief of staff John KellyJohn Francis KellyMORE also attended, Trump told McGahn he had not ordered him to fire Mueller, people familiar with the meeting told the newspaper.

The Times reports McGahn told Trump he was wrong, and that he did ask McGahn to see that Mueller was removed from his post. Trump reportedly said he did not remember the conversation that way.